First Christmas
by ThePQ4
Summary: May be not but importantly helpful if you read at least the first chapter my 'Great War' story. Remus Severus, when they were teenagers, and their first Christmas together. Cute. Please review!


Title: First Christmas

Author: ThePQ (Samma J.)

Disclaimer: I do not, and do not pretend to own the characters of Harry Potter. They belong to the great and powerful J. K. Rowling, Scholastic, and all of those other people.

Note: This goes with the...past history of Remus/Severus of HP& The Great War (see in my profile for more information...that and because it is one of the greatest works I have -ever- done...hooray!). This is a one-shot -but I'm not sure right now how it's gonna work out.

"I don't know what the Headmaster is thinking this will do for us." Severus was sitting uncomfortably on the edge of Sirius's bed. "I don't want to be here, but he has me locked out of my dorm."

"I...think it has something to do with the fact that we are the only two students in the entire castle." Remus brushed his hair off of his forehead. "...We don't have to be enemies, Severus. I know, you don't see eye-to-eye with my friends, but you shouldn't think that I'm like them."

"I don't think anything of you, Remus."

Remus bit his lip, and nodded, "Of course not."

Severus sighed, "I didn't mean it like that. ...I know you aren't like them, but...you aren't different either. You never try to stop them. You're a prefect for gods-sake. You just turn a blind eye while they torture me, day after day."

"...I'm sorry. I can't —I don't control them, Severus. They don't listen to me."

"You are supposed to be the level headed one of the group."

"Well...I try, but... Can we not talk about them? Can't we, just...you know, have fun for the next couple of weeks?"

"Fun...us? Here, locked up together? I doubt we will be having anything resembling fun, Remus."

"It's only as fun as you make it."

"...Whatever." Severus looked away, out of the window that over looked the lake.

Remus bit his lip, looking down at the floor at his feet. The headmaster had delivered Severus to the Gryffindor common room a few minutes ago, with a farewell, 'Have fun!' before sneaking off. He had a slim idea of why he had done it. He had confessed to the Headmaster that he had...been having feelings about Severus for awhile, but he wasn't sure how to act upon them. ...But why would the headmaster have helped him out, unless...Severus?

"What?" Severus had turned back to look at him.

"Huh?"

"You said my name, what do you want?"

"Oh, huh..."

Severus sighed, standing up, "Look, we don't have to pretend anything. We just have to get along, alright?"

Remus nodded, "Okay."

"Good." Severus nodded, and started walking towards the door.

"...Where are you going?"

"Not that it's any of your concern, but I was going to do some reading in the library."

"Oh...um...I'll come with you."

Severus stared at him for a moment, before nodding, "Alright."

Remus smiled softly, following behind him, down the stairs, through the common room, and out of the portrait.

"...If you're going to come with me, don't walk behind me like a puppy." Severus pulled him by the shoulder to his side. "Walk beside me."

"Okay." Remus tried to ignore the flush that was sent over his body, triggered by Severus's hand on his shoulder. He tried to push away the imagination that it had lingered there for a moment longer then was actually necessary.

Severus shook his head, pushing open the door to the library, and heading towards one of the center stacks. Remus started to follow him before realizing that...that would be weird. He veered another direction, and looped around to get to the stack on the other side of Severus, watching him through the stacks. He looked so serious as he looked over the books, running one of his long, slender fingers across titles. After he had chosen one, Remus watched him make his way over to one of the well lit tables, not to far away.

He bit his lip, looking for something to pick...he wasn't really interested in reading, he had just really wanted to...see Severus in a natural habitat. Maybe this had been a bad idea?

"What on earth is that?" Severus asked as Remus set the slim, dusty tomb in the table.

"Erm... It's Hogwarts: A History."

"...And you read that for fun, do you?"

"I guess so." Remus shrugged.

Severus shook his head, opening his book to a marked page, and beginning to read from where he had evidently left off.

Remus tried not to watch him, his eyes skimming the pages of his book before glazing over. ...Why would someone even _write_ about this kind of crap?

"So, uh...what are you reading?" He asked, looking up over the edges of his book at Severus.

Severus relayed something in French.

"...Excuse me?"

Severus sighed, "It's a book on Fourteen Century Potionry."

"Oh. Okay."

"...I'm reading it for extra credit in Potions."

"Oh." Remus nodded. "...Wait, don't you have like...the highest ranking in potions in Hogwarts history?"

"I'm sure that's just an exaggeration."

"No, really! I just read it —there are a bunch of records in here."

"It's not a big deal. I just...like experimenting." Severus's pale face turned a brilliant shade of red. "It's nothing."

"I'd say it's something... Say, do you tutor?"

"What?" Severus looked up.

"My potions are horrible...I could really use some help... Would you tutor me over the break?"

"Uh..." Severus nodded, "Okay. Sure."

"Cool." Remus smiled. "How about tonight? I can ask the Headmaster if we could set up in one of the dungeon rooms."

"No need —I have a key." Severus turned even redder. "I mean... Um. Professor Jalan...he likes to think that I"m his...prodigy or something. He gives me...a free reign. I'm sure it would be fine if I just let myself in."

"Cool." Remus nodded. "After dinner then?"

"Sure." Severus nodded.

"So what are you two boys going to be up to tonight?" The Headmaster was the only teacher sitting with them at the table that night, a small round table right in the middle of Hogwarts kitchens. Hundreds of house elves puttered around, making food, cleaning up, and serving the three of them.

"Severus said he would help me with my potions." Remus looked between the headmaster and Severus.

"Well! You couldn't have conjured a better tutor!" Dumbledore clapped Severus on the shoulder. "And may I suggest a stop in the Astronomy Tower tonight? I hear there is going to be a marvelous meteor display."

Remus looked at Severus, "That...sounds like fun."

"Sure." Severus nodded.

"Well, you two boys have fun! I'm going to get back to my radio —there's going to be an extra special broadcast on tonight for the holiday season, and I don't want to miss it! Good night, boys. See you in the morning." Dumbledore winked a them, and was gone, but not before the house elves laden him down to trays of food.

"Well...he is certainly eccentric." Severus watched him disappear.

"I think he's brilliant."

"I'm not questioning that. I'm just saying he's...a little off."

"I think that it is just part of his brilliance." Remus looked back down at his plate.

"So, uh...what part of potions have you been having a problem with?"

"Well, mostly the emotional potions. You know, the ones that make you laugh, or cry...they always turn out really shoddy."

"Oh. Those aren't hard." Severus shrugged. "That will be a breeze."

"So, what's your secret? I mean, how can you be so good?"

"Well...I guess, I just study. Just because some thing worked a long time ago, doesn't mean it doesn't work now, or that it doesn't have a substitute. A lot of people think that just because an ingredient is extinct, that the potion won't work anymore, but it's really just a process of finding the ingredient someplace else." Severus shrugged. "Like, when you make a Mukas Potion —you can substitute the goat liver with eye of newt just as easily. Their properties are amazingly similar —but when making a Kruakus potion, if you substituted the eye of newt with the goat liver, it would react with the willow, and probably explode. It's a lot of chemical work too...and trial and error."

"Oh."

"I'm boring you."

"No...I like listening to you talk about potions. You're very...passionate about it."

Severus smiled softly, "I guess I am...but, potions aren't my real passion."

"Oh? What do you really want to do?"

"I want to study the Dark Arts. I think it's fascinating. People just...go almost insane, and come up with the most bizarre things, and try and take over earth... It's astonishing."

Remus smiled, "I think there's more to it then that, Severus. Don't you?"

He shrugged, "Maybe...but I still can't help it. Every chance I get, I'm delving further into it. ...But, again, I'm being silly. I'll never be 'good' at it or anything. Potions is my talent."

"Just because you have a talent...doesn't mean you can't...do anything else."

"It's alright. I don't want to become an auror any way -and that's all a passion for Dark Arts will get you these days."

"I'm sure there are lots of jobs out there for someone with your interests."

"Oooh, a teacher." Severus rolled his eyes. "Big deal."

"What do you really want to do?"

"I'm not really sure."

"Well, what did you tell them you were interested in before we took O.W.L.s?"

"That I wasn't exactly sure. I was given some suggestions, but...I don't know. I'll probably get stuck someplace."

While they had been talking, they hadn't noticed the food disappearing from their plates.

"Oh, wow. I got so into talking to you..." Remus looked down at his empty plate. "I didn't even realize how full I was."

"Me neither." Severus shook his head. "...So, um...shall we go a-tutoring?"

"Sure." Remus nodded, pushing back his chair.

Severus nodded, and followed him towards the door, pushing through the house elves, both adamant that they were full and couldn't eat another bite.

Down in the cool dungeon, Severus lit a fire underneath their cauldrons, grabbed a spare book from the cabinet, and pulled some of the ingredients from the cupboard.

"Okay, we're going to start with a simple laughing potion. First, you need to slice these..." He laid out the ingredients, "Watch me, and try and do it as similarly as possible, okay?"

"Okay." Remus watched Severus's knife slice through the livers, and then sprinkle them into his pot full of water.

"Now you try." Severus motioned. Remus started slicing, and he shook his head, "To thick. They'll never break apart if you don't cut them thinly. You should almost be able to see through them." He moved behind him, taking Remus's hands to better demonstrate, "See, a really thin slice... Perfect."

Remus's heart seemed to pause for a moment, that flush of heating racing up his arms around his chest again. He bit his tongue, and nodded, "Okay."

"...Are you alright?" Severus asked, stepping back his cauldron, "You don't look to good."

"I'm...fine." Remus continued to slice before sprinkling the liver into the pot. "What's next?"

"Nice, we have to shred this. I like to just run my knife over it like this, but you can use a grater if you want." Severus demonstrated.

"...How do you do that?"

"Oh, I...guess I just liked to save time." Severus shrugged. "You just can't cut to deep into the root, or it comes out in chunks, that's all."

Remus used the grater, and turned back, "Okay, Professor. What's after that?"

Severus continued down the list of steps, until they came to the stirring.

"You're going to quickly." He touched his want to his own pot, his ladle continuing to turn a slow pace, and he moved behind Remus again, taking his hand in his own, slowing it down. "There are times to be in a rush, and a time to be patient...this is a time to be patient." He didn't move his hand away, continuing to stir with his hand on Remus's. His other hand balanced on the counter top, his thumb overlapping Remus's pinky. Remus's finger twitched, and Severus moved away. "Slow and steady. Remember that."

Remus nodded, "Right. Slow and steady."

"Alright..." He stopped his ladle, and took it off of the heat, "Time for the moment of truth... Oh, wait. Let me grab a vial of the antidote first." He went to the store room, reaching for two of the vials near the top. "Alright, here you go." He lifted his ladle to Remus. "You try mine, and I'll try yours."

"But what if I made it wrong? Something could go horribly wrong."

"You didn't. It's just right." Severus nodded. "Don't worry. Here...go ahead."

Remus nodded, and took the spoon from him, tasting a bit of it, "Eh...awful stuff...heh...heheheh...heh." He couldn't stop himself from laughing.

"Here. Take this." Severus handed him a vial of the antidote, "...Unless, you'd like for it to wear off in about a minute."

"I have no...hahaha...hah...idea...hahaha, why I'm laughing... We've done...haha, nothing hilarious at all... This is a riot!"

Severus nodded, "Wearing it off...okay." He lifted the spoon to Remus's potion, and tasted it. A rush of good humor washed over him, and he couldn't stifle his own laughter either. Unlike Remus however, he opted for the quick way out, and downed the antidote.

"Why'd you do that? This fun!"

"Because you look like a doofus." Severus shook his head, starting to clean up. "Good work...you just need to work on your technique. You could be a great potions master."

Remus's laughter grew louder, "Me?! Are you kidding?! Ahahahahahhha!"

"Okay. Maybe not 'great'...but you aren't so bad. You just need to work at it, that's all. You'll do fine, and...if you need anymore help, just ask."

Remus brushed the tears of laughter out of his eyes, "Oh...that's great... What would happen if I drank a ton of that?"

"You'd probably laugh your head off...literally actually."

"Oh..."

"Happiness comes with consequences. Potions, even cheery ones, shouldn't be taken for granted." Severus poured their potions into jars. "Do you want yours? In case you need a pick-me-up?"

"...Sure." Remus nodded. "Cool. I've never gotten to keep one of my potions before."

"Go ahead. You earned it. It's great." Severus pushed the jar at him before taking the cauldrons to the sink to rinse them out before laying them upside down on the counter to dry out. "So...uh, did you want to check out the astronomy tower?"

"Sure." Remus nodded. "That would be great."

"Okay." Severus nodded, picking up his jar, "Lets go." He lead the way out of the dungeons and up the stairs. "We...really need to get..elevators in this place." He sighed, out of breath as they reached the bottom of the stair case to the Astronomy Tower. "This had better be worth it."

"I'm sure it will be." Remus smiled, tugging on his arm. "C'mon."

"How can you not be out of breath?"

"I'm more athletic then I look."

"Athletic has nothing to do with it! You aren't even human, are you?"

Remus bit his tongue, "Don't be silly, Severus."

Severus limped along behind him, sitting on the top step to take a breath as they breached the top of the stair case.

"Wow...I've always loved it up here." Remus sat in front of one of the larger telescopes. "It's so...beautiful, with all of the stars."

Severus laid back, looking out over the sky, "Yea. I guess. It's bloody cold up here though."

"Suck it up." Remus grinned, glancing through the telescope, "Wow...you can really see Venus tonight."

"Yea, you can." Severus looked upward.

"Come on —take a look!" Remus urged.

Severus sighed, getting up, and coming to sit at one of the smaller telescopes.

"No, just...come here. I've already got it focused." Remus got up.

Severus moved over to take a look, pondering it for a minute, "Very interesting."

"You're not into astrology, huh?"

"It's not one of my biggest hobbies, lets just leave it at that."

"Oh."

"I'd rather just sit back and look at all of the pretty stars." Severus moved back to another one of the chairs, to lean back and look skyward. "They're better seen by the naked eye. If were meant to analyze them to death, they'd be closer to earth."

"That's why they're one of the great mysteries." Remus moved closer. "...You know, I've always thought that besides being really pretty up here...it was really, uh...romantic."

"You bring a lot of girls up here then, do you?"

"No! I mean...uh, no. I'm not...err... I've heard stories. About people coming up here."

"I think everyone has heard those stories." Severus yawned. "But I don't pay attention to them. Not when Astrology classes are held here at night anyway... maybe if someone wanted a nooner...but then the sun is right over head, and–" Remus silenced him, pressing his lips to Severus's. When he suddenly realized what he had done, he backed away.

"I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything... It just, it happened...I'm really sorry." He edged towards the stairs. Severus stared at him, before slowly touching a hand to his lips.

"Why would you do that?"Severus asked.

"I don't know...I mean, we were up here, and you kept talking, and you...and I... it just..."

"_Why_ would you do that?" Severus repeated.

"I really like you." Remus blurted. "I...I'm sorry. I should go."He turned, racing down the stairs two at a time.

Severus slumped back in his chair, touching his fingers to his lips again.

Severus entered the Fifth year Gryffindor dormitory, not surprised to see the curtains on Remus's bed drawn, and a single candle burning for light, "Remus? I think...we should have a talk. ...Remus, I know you can hear me." He pushed the curtains back, "And I know you aren't asleep. ...Look, about what happened—."

"It was a mistake. It won't happen again."

"That...that isn't what I want to talk to you about, Remus." Severus pushed the curtains further back. "Can...can I sit here?"

"You should go to bed. It's late."

"That wasn't my question."

"What do you want, Severus?"

He sighed, touching a hand to Remus's shoulder, turning him towards him, "I don't want anything that you don't want...and I want a lot of things you do." He knelt down, pressing a kiss to Remus's lips for a moment, "...It must have taken you a lot of guts to do that... I'm sorry I reacted the way I did."

"What...are you saying?"

"I guess, what I'm trying to say is... I like you too."

"...Seriously? You aren't just...goofing around with me?"

"No! I really do! I was just...I guess I was surprised that you were...interested in me."

"I thought that...the Headmaster was just teasing me, when he sent you stay here..."

Severus shook his head, "He really can't keep his nose out of anything, can he?"

"...He just wanted us to have a nice Christmas, Severus."

"Well...I think it's shaping out to be very nice indeed."


End file.
